SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A pharmacist found guilty of fatally shooting his roommate's boyfriend in Ocean Beach was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday.
Thomas Francis Burke, 33, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in April of killing 35-year-old Jess Robles in June 2016. Burke had faced a maximum of 21 years in prison.
At his sentencing, his family gave emotional testimony as they remembered the life of a man they'd never see again.
What started as joyful memories from Jess Robles' father quickly turned into feelings of heartbreaking loss.
"I've gone through stages of shock and disbelief, anger, rage denial," said Michael Robles. "Confusion, frustration, bitterness, and envy for those who still have their children."
Burke sat emotionless in court as Robles' loved ones poured out their hearts.
"That day your darkness won," said Robles' sister, Michelle. "It crushed us, it continues to horrify us, terrify us, we are tormented by what you did to Jess and we now have to be aware and scared of people like you."
ORIGINAL STORY:Pharmacist who shot roommate's boyfriend found guilty of voluntary manslaughter
Burke argued that he shot Robles in self-defense after receiving threatening text messages from him. Prosecutors said after Burke and his roommate, Larae Clark, who was also Robles' girlfriend, got into an arguement, Robles went to check on Clark. When he opened the door to the Ocean Beach condo, Burke shot him in the chest and throat, according to prosecutors.
Following the shooting, he turned himself in the next day.
Thomas Burke sentenced to 16 years in prison for the deadly shooting of his roommate's boyfriend.
— Mimi Elkalla (@10NewsMimi) May 11, 2017
